


Through Crimson Stars

by perksofkingston



Category: Doctor Who
Genre: Eleventh Doctor Era, Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-03
Updated: 2018-11-17
Packaged: 2019-06-21 03:55:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 2,834
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15549048
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/perksofkingston/pseuds/perksofkingston
Summary: A series of Doctor Who related one shots :)





	1. All I love so dearly

1: All I love so dearly

He took the little time that was left to visit those he held closest to his heart. Before returning to Clara, he knew there was one last visit that had to be made. 

London. Just outside of the city. “Coal Hill Primary” read a sign that stood beside the TARDIS. 

“Ava Amelia Williams, I’ll feed you to a reaper if you carry on complaining!” 

The Doctor watched on in amusement as his wife practically jogged down the pavement with an expression of stress and agitation wiped across her face. His youngest daughter followed suit, clearly not impressed about the whole situation. 

“Am I the only person aware of the fact that we’re going to be late?” Darcy peered over the roof of the car, throwing sass at her mother who was wrestling Ava over her seatbelt. He loved the domesticity of the situation. They looked like a regular family you’d see in the street, the eldest worrying about absolutely everything whilst the youngest felt the need to test her mother’s patience. He so wished that he could be a part of it, but there was no such thing as an ordinary life for the last of the time lords. Once his wife had successfully won the duel against their daughter and her new best friend, Mr seatbelt, she cautiously shut the door and collapsed in defeat and exhaustion into the car. As she wiped the strands of hair from her face, River locked eyes with the man that had been watching the scene unfold from across the road. 

She’d noticed him, there was no question about it. But how she felt? He had no idea. A blank expression remained on her face as the anxiety began to rise in him. As he reached the brink of eruption, a radiant smile danced across her face and before he could even think about how beautiful she looked, River came hurtling towards him. She pounced on her husband, kissing every inch of his face over and over. Their daughters had clearly been snooping through the back windscreen and they too sprinted across the road to join their parents. Darcy tightly clutched her younger sisters hand as they embarked on an adventure across the street, hoping to dodge any cars that came their way. 

The Doctor pulled away from his wife and lifted Ava into the air as she clung onto him like there was no tomorrow. Once she was settled in his arms, Darcy wasted no time in leaping into her father’s embrace. The doctor repeatedly kissed both of the girl’s heads as he beckoned River to join in their hug. He was full of emotion; she could sense it. So what brought him here?  
***  
Ava and Darcy stood fiddling with the console whilst their father couldn’t help but stare at them both looking so happy. In the corner of his eye, he could feel his wife’s glare and hear the sounds of the cogs turning in her head. 

“It’s time isn’t it?”

The smile on his face dramatically faded as the question hit him like a tonne of bricks, The Doctor turned to face his wife, entwining their hands as he hesitantly nodded. River choked back a sob as she fell into her husband’s embrace. No, he wasn’t dying. But he was changing and that was just as bad, if not worse. Who knew what his new face, body and self would be like? What if he forgets everything? Forgets who his wife is? Who his daughters are? Forgets that he even has daughters? While in the meantime, everyone else remembers and there’s nothing that can be done about it. 

“You’re overthinking.” River was snapped from her thoughts by the soft whispers of her husband who yet again, was exactly right. She smiled at him before returning her gaze back to their daughters. Darcy had lifted Ava into her arms, pointing out each individual control and explaining what it did. She was so much like her father, even better perhaps. River chuckled quietly to herself at the uncanny resemblance, their daughter seemed to know more about the ship than he did. 

“Right.” The doctor clapped his hands together, returning himself back to reality. He could feel the tingling of the regeneration energy coursing through his veins, it was starting and there was still Clara left to visit. 

“Don’t you lot have somewhere to be?” He crouched down and began to tickle Ava, her light giggles were music to his ears.  
“Yes we do actually, my parents evening which we’re SO late for!” Darcy shot her mother a death glare, River only rolled her eyes in response knowing that there was much more of that coming their way. 

“OI, don’t look at your mother like that! She’s brilliant! Anyway, this is my fault.” The doctor threw his arms around his daughter’s shoulder and they all headed towards the TARDIS doors. The doctor embraced his daughters tightly one last time as River ushered them to the car to avoid them getting more soaked than they already were just from stepping outside of the blue box. They both watched in fits of laughter as Darcy was now the one struggling against her little sister over the seatbelt. Shouts of “I’m getting drenched here” and “you’re not co-operating” filled the air of the rainy afternoon. River turned back to face her husband, they stared into each other’s blissful eyes before locking lips. The kiss was filled with passion and devotion, almost like a promise to continue loving each other in the times that were approaching. When they released, the doctor caressed his wife’s cheeks with his thumb, something he’d always done when saying goodbye, this time he had managed to wipe a tear that had just managed to escape River’s eye. He lowered her hands to her side; hesitantly released his fingers from hers and began to step backwards towards his time machine, not once taking his eyes off of the wonder that was River Song.

As he staggered inside of the TARDIS doors, the doctor fell onto the console, fiddling with the buttons that his beautiful daughters had just been exploring. 

“One last trip ay? GERONIMO!”


	2. Don't be alone, Doctor.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The final scene of The Angels Take Manhattan but with a small twist :)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This story isn't as long as the last but its the first one I wrote and I wanted to post it before writing anymore ! Feel free to comment any suggestions/ideas you have for any other stories you'd like me to write involving River and The Doctor ! xo

2: Don’t be alone, Doctor. 

“I’ll just get her to write an afterword.”

She placed a prolonged kiss to their daughter’s head as she buried herself further into her father’s touch. Only once his wife had left did The Doctor realise what she meant by her words. Forcing himself onto the controls, he played with the buttons in a desperate attempt to get back to the page he’d so selfishly ripped from the book earlier. 

He precariously sprinted down the cobbled path of central park, his eyes scanning his surroundings as he tried to locate the wicker basket that had been abandoned in the pandemonium of the beginning of the end of an era. It wasn’t until he heard the familiar yell did the man stop dead in his tracks and twist his head around almost as if he had the traits of an owl. 

The Doctor caught a glimpse of a reassuring smile on his child’s face which he translated as “I’ve found it.” With less enthusiasm, he jogged towards her and grabbed hold of the page. 

Afterword, by Amelia Williams.

Hello, old friend. And here we are, you and me, on the last page. By the time you read these words, Rory and I will be long gone. So know that we lived well, and were very happy. And above all else, know that we will love you always. Sometimes I do worry about you, though. I think once we’re gone, you won’t be coming back here for a while, and you might be alone which you should never be. Don’t be alone, Doctor. And do one more thing for me. There’s a little girl waiting in a garden. Go to her. Tell her a story. Tell her that if she’s patient, the days are coming that she’ll never forget. Tell her she’ll go to sea and fight pirates. She’ll fall in love with a man who’ll wait two thousand years to keep her safe. Tell her she’ll give hope to the greatest painter who ever lived and save a whale in outer space. Tell her this is the story of Amelia Pond. And this is how it ends. 

He stared at the page as tears continued to freely fall. When he grasped the courage to look up he saw the beautiful little girl, of his own creation, stood worryingly before him, clearly alarmed by her father’s reaction to the entire situation, not just the afterword that he had actually read aloud rather than in his head, but he didn’t need to know that. The time lord rose to his feet; took a deep breath; stared down at the little lady and clutched her hand tightly. They embarked on an adventure back to the TARDIS and vowed to stick together, to not let the grief get the best of them, just as the Ponds had wished.


	3. If you stay by my side

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> one word: Darillium

3: If you stay by my side. 

“You’re all great! Amazing in fact. But I’d really appreciate it if I were left-.”

River’s words came to a sudden pause as she opened the door – a little more violent than she had anticipated – and stood in complete shock. 

There he stood. The last of the time lords. Her madman with a box. HER Doctor. 

“alone."  
River examined her husband as she breathed out the last word of her sentence. The doctor stood looking rather dapper in a new suit whilst clutching a mysterious box and a beautiful bouquet of wild flowers. 

Her favourite.

But there was something else, something that for some reason screamed ‘human’ at her. 

“What do you think of the new haircut? Thought I’d spice up the time lord hair.”

River giggled in response and collapsed into her husband’s embrace as they shared a slow and meaningful kiss. 

“Come away with me.”

***

The Tardis made its signature humming sound as they landed in the unknown. The doctor led his wife through the ever-changing halls of his time machine, not many things stayed the same in this place. River felt that every time she set foot in this motor home something had been changed or added.

Finally, they reached a door that they were both familiar with. 

His room. Or more heart-warmingly, their room. 

As they made their way through the doorway, River noticed the extravagant gown placed so neatly upon their bed. Today’s adventure wasn’t like any other, she turned to give her husband her best puppy dog eyes which always left him weak at the knees. The doctor gave into her cuteness and muttered the three words she longed to hear…

“The Singing Towers.”

***

Shortly after answering his wife’s prayers, the Doctor left River to change and she soon found herself sat at the best restaurant table the universe had to offer.

“How’s the dress?” The Doctor questioned as he took a swig of space wine. 

“Incredibly beautiful! I’m rather shocked that this was picked by you, never knew you had style.” River smirked at her husband who chuckled in response. His arm slithered across the table and they each found themselves in a comfortable silence as his thumb caressed the palm of her hand. After he entwined his fingers with hers, River felt a cold breeze dance across her shoulders and watched as his once vibrant smile faded. 

“What is it?” She worryingly asked. 

“Do you know why we’re here?”

The words ripped through her like a knife, each word causing more pain than the last. 

“There are stories about us, you know. I look them up sometimes. Some of them suggest that the very last night we spend together is at The Singing Towers of Darillium. That wouldn’t be true would it?”

“Spoilers.”

There it was. Her suspicions had been confirmed and she suddenly felt the overwhelming need to cry. 

“oh... Well, that would explain why you kept cancelling coming here. Do you remember that time when-“

“Don’t…”

“There were two of you? Because I want you to know that if this is the last night, I expect you to find a way around it.”

“Not everything can be avoided. Not forever.” The doctor stood and walked towards the balcony, staring blankly at the towers as he tried to avoid his wife seeing him in such a state. 

They now found themselves trapped in an uncomfortable silence as opposed to minutes earlier. 

“So, assuming tonight is all we have left.” River rose and made her way to her husband’s side, the one place that always felt right. The one place she considered home. 

“I didn’t say that.” The man tilted his head to gaze at his stressed wife who was clutching his hand as though she was terribly afraid of letting go.

“How long is a night on Darillium?”

The doctor stood sideways on as Rivers head turned to make eye contact. His grin grew wide as he muttered the words;

“24 years.”

River fell into her husband’s open arms as she bit her bottom lip to hold back her tears of relief. He kissed her golden curls as River pushed her face further into his chest as she whispered an almost inaudible, “I hate you.”

“No you don’t.” The doctor smiled and they spent the remainder of that evening wrapped in each other’s embrace, appreciating the warmth and affection that radiated from one another. 

24 years filled with love, passion and pure bliss.


	4. Ohana means family

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Acceptance is key and I love 13 x  
> All I'm sayin'...

4: Ohana means family

Silence danced through the air as River sat in her armchair, staring so blankly at the frames that stood boldly upon the mantelpiece. Pictures of her beautiful daughters, parents and madman with a box glanced back at her. The happiness emitted from each image was contagious and for the first time that evening, a smile planted itself firmly on her face as she thought back to those moments.

-

The last Christmas she had spent with her parents had been one to remember. Every year Amy and Rory reserved a place at the table for the doctor and every year he never came. But that particular year. At one specific moment. He clicked. 

The doorbell had rung and River could remember the puzzled looks across all of their faces, even little Luna. She excused herself from the table and made her way cautiously towards the front of the house, her pulse increasing with every footstep. Her exhale of relief was much louder than she had anticipated as the love of her life stood as nervous as ever before her eyes. Snowflakes were beginning to cover his tweed jacket and he stood completely unbothered by the cold, but rather ecstatic that River Song had been the one to answer the door. 

The evening was spent laughing, chattering away and even asleep for one particular person, if there was one thing River was sure to know about her mother it was that she could not handle her wine. 

The one memory that shone brightest in her mind was the end of the night. Exhaustion had gotten the best of everyone, The Doctor had made his way to the nearest sofa and their daughter had followed suit, collapsing in her Fathers lap. After helping her own father in the dreaded washing up, River melted at the sight of the two as she entered the living room. Those moments were priceless, especially given their situation. Who knew when they’d see him next? Therefore, she snapped a picture of the duo and vowed to treasure it forever. 

Which is exactly what she did. 

-

River was snapped from her thoughts by the sounds of the sweetest giggles that were getting louder. She peered around her chair seeing the littlest pond, as snug as a bug, laughing away in her sisters’ arms. River stood to relieve Luna of her sisterly duties and welcomed her youngest into her embrace. After placing a firm kiss to Lu’s head, River had every intention of prepping the youngest for bed. But they were all caught completely off guard by the familiar noise of the blue box which had materialised in the hall. 

“Hiya family.”

River stood in complete shock, as did Luna, while Gracie ferociously giggled still firmly on her mother’s hip. 

“Right, the staring’s freaking me out? Can we stop the staring please?” Luna finally erupted into fits of laughter, as did River who placed Gracie on the floor and made her way over to the women stood in her house.

“I know it’s different and I’m still not quite used to it- “

“I gathered.” River laughed, with a fresh set of tears in her eyes to which her wife responded with a hearty laugh. 

The room fell silent once again and The doctor caressed her wife’s cheek where she wiped the tear that had managed to spill. 

“I missed you.”

“We’ve missed you too.” Luna smiled.


End file.
